Forest officials urge caution as wildfire season starts in NJ

The ongoing drought and winter snow cover that prevented prescribed burns might make for a busy fire season, New Jersey officials warned.

By: Dana DiFilippo

Outlets: New Jersey Monitor

Published: April 8, 2026

Words: 622

Last Updated: 5 days, 11 hours ago

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As New Jersey enters wildfire season, state environmental officials say the persisting drought and a dry forecast could combine to keep firefighters hopping this spring.

“The potential is certainly there to have quite a busy fire season,” said Bill Donnelly, state fire warden and chief of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.

Firefighters have already responded to more than 200 wildfires that have burned more than 150 acres statewide since the start …

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